Recap: You are ANON, the RED JOKER. In our last instalment, you spoke with BISHAMON, and discussed his meeting with one of the enigmatic HYADES. At the PAPILLON, you've just concluded your encounter with NAOYA SHIGA...

The back rooms of the Papillon are - As you've previously observed - all built along the same plush lines: Like the inside of a very expensive chocolate box, with a wrap-around couch, a coffee table, and a flatscreen television at the end - With a karaoke machine and several game consoles set in a glass-panelled shelf of lacquered wood.

It's classy, especially given the cost...And, more importantly, it's quiet.

The soundproofed walls lend a private, almost intimate air to the place - A tiny alcove of comfortable serenity.

The previous times you visited, you were here alone...For however briefly, before you'd hear the soft scrape of silk, the scent of perfume and brimstone -

Not this time, however.

It's strange. This place was where you first met Mio - In here, though, with her...You feel oddly out-of-place. Like a intruder.

There's a soft *clink* as she sets her tray down; Ice cubes against frosted glass, soda and slices of white cake. The light catches the faint gleam of her silver barrette, skirts rustling as Mio eases herself into the seat next to yours with an easy grace - Concern in her eyes, echoed by the flat press of her fox-ears against her blonde hair.

"Anon-kun." There's a warmth to her voice - A kind of restrained happiness - as she turns your hand over; A slight tremble to her shoulder, as she bites back a little gasp. Her head tilts back, her eyes meeting yours-

"...Does it still hurt?"

You can sense that there's a lot unsaid, but there's a sweet softness to her expression - Just on this side of a blush, as she cradles your left hand (The new bandages still stiff) - in both of her own, her touch feather-light, delicate.

'lo Anon. Bit of bad news, I'm nowhere near done with the event summary, partially due to RL and mostly due to mission creep. It's somehow turned into a comprehensive primer for the quest. Right now it's at six pages, it'll probably be between twelve and fifteen when complete. I'll post what I have of it before the thread 404s.

I have a soft spot for those games :3Given the nature of this one, I feel like I should ask if you've experiened Warframe at all lately? They have a lot of neat exo-suit ninja combat stuffs, and some nice art.

> [X] "I'm sorry I didn't call you. I lost my phone, the same place I got injured."

She shakes her head. "-That's all right." Mio's voice is soft; Her hands holding yours, as she faces you - A slow blush blooming in her cheeks, her gaze so very intent. "It doesn't matter, as long as you're all right."

Her smile becomes just a shade tremulous, her green eyes lowered.

"...As long as you're here..." Mio murmurs, almost to herself - You're pretty sure you weren't supposed to hear that, as she blinks...A kind of pleasant embarrassment shading her words.

> "It's just a scratch at this point, nothing worth worrying about."> [X] "I'm fine...But how about you?"

A pause. It's a very significant one.

"...I missed you," Mio says, at last - Her voice very, very small.

When she looks up, her eyes are moist; "I was...so *worried* about you, Anon-kun. I didn't see you for a week, and when you turned up..." There's a little hitch in her words, her fingers folding around yours.

"S-so, now that you're here...I'm really happy."

You can tell that Mio means it; The slight stammer to her words only accentuating the softness to her voice - Her lips-ever-so-slightly parted, a simple joy in her eyes.

"I...*really* missed you, Anon-kun. So much that - I was a little scared..."

Mio stiffens - A little squeak teased from her lips - as you hug her; It's an instinctive response, but not an unwelcome one. She feels...So *soft* - Soft, yet firm, as she almost melts into the hug; A startled "A-anon-kun...?" sawing from her throat - Her body trembling slightly in unalloyed surprise...

-But then she melts into you, and you hear the soft surrusation of her breath as she exhales...A long, slow sigh that seems to lift an invisible burden from her shoulders. Her own arms come up, returning your embrace - Her honey-blonde hair tickling your cheek, as she leans her head against your shoulder.

She smells - Like vanilla, like sugar, something clean but sweet at once. You can feel those fluffy ears twitch, as a slow heat tingles beneath Mio's skin...But she holds you tight, as if she never wants to let you go.

"Anon-kun, I lov-" she says - But then she starts, a brief flicker of motion; Breath warm against your ear, as you actually *feel* the renewed flush of heat radiating from her skin.

>>26747925I thought about that, but these are pretty significant words to Anon. Maybe even The Words given that it's just about all he specifically remembers of his time with the previous Red Joker. A bit fatalistic for a high schooler, but very in character.

"-I trust you," she says, that sweet lilt to her voice...Before she drops her gaze, almost *red*, now. "Ah...That's - kind of embarassing to say, isn't it~?" Mio admits, scratching at her cheek; She seems much calmer, however, a kind of quiet happiness in her expression...Leaning ever-slightly towards you, as if hanging on every word.

"So..." For a moment, she seems to be casting round for something to say, as the fox-tail of her costume swishes against the seat. "...I'm *really* happy you're here, but - Did something happen?"

She tilts her head to the side, regarding you sidelong; "...Anon-kun seems...*different* today, somehow."

[ ] "Different? What do you mean?"[ ] "Really? I feel the same as always."[ ] "-I just felt like visiting you."[ ] "How's school? Are the other girls treating you better?"[ ] "Actually, I was wondering about 'Naoya-kun'..."[ ] Free

"I 've been feeling... bolder. Like a have a purpose. But I think its just that feeling when you get over a cold.""Thankfully, no more run-ins with automobiles. Do I have you to thank for that?" (teasing)

>>26748112>You realize that second part seems to imply Anon thinks she's to blame for the car almost hitting us? Vetoed.

I meant more playing off the fact that it's ridiculous to think that's actually possible, and just be an ~actual~ tease, than making fun of.Possibly get her to open up to us about it, since she did show us butterflies.

Also, if she has the power to cause misfortune, and has been thinking positive, hopeful thoughts about us (and our kawaii-est future together!) we may.... actually have us a guardian angel that doesn't know it

> [X] "Different? What do you mean?"> [X] "Really? I feel the same as always."

"I'm...Not sure, actually~" Mio admits; Her eyes narrow, as if she's trying to stare right through you...But then she sighs, her shoulders lifting in a little shrug.

"-Aaann, it's hard to be sure..." she says - But then, she touches a hand to her chest; Favouring you with that meltingly-soft smile again. "-Still...M-maybe it's me. I might be looking at you...A-a little *differently* now..."

The words linger in the air, for a long moment of pleasant discomfort - Until Mio stirs, flustered, taking a long sip of a cold drink. Condensation beads on the glass, but the flush to her skin eases a little - She seems slightly...overheated.

"Well..." She seems to sober, a little - Her slim fingers curling around the glass, as she gazes contemplatively into its depths. "...I *suppose* so."

The pensive moment passes. "-Everyone's excited about the Cultural Festival, you know? There's only about a week left to go, and...I heard it's only held once every ten years. Soooo...It's a *really* busy time for everyone."

>>26748231>The pensive moment passes. "-Everyone's excited about the Cultural Festival, you know? There's only about a week left to go, and...I heard it's only held once every ten years. Soooo...It's a *really* busy time for everyone."

Here we go. Nara dreamland 2.0. Important events? Once every ten years?Claim dat red world energy spike for US, not whomever's trying to jack them all this time.

..... you know, this may actually be what the Emblems are for. They're like a faction flag that allows dominance of areas.we know kraken's been out and about gaining power, and we just recently discovered he serves alura...

so he's been feeding her power, and his unkillableness comes from her influence - which may mean cybele's healing powers are more of a class feature than any unique power of her own.

>>26748473Checking again, seems I might be off. The thread where Anon talks with Hecate has him saying he became a Player six years ago, the city-wide disaster was ten. Somehow I got it into my head it was the other way around. Could be retcons; I've tripped myself up by relying on material in the older threads over the new a few times now.

"Anh, well..." Mio's eyes close for a moment, and she says - Rather solemnly, as if reciting; "...The Inter-School Cultural and Educational Festival For the Promotion Of Artistic Achievement..." she pauses. Breathes out.

"It's - really a mouthful." she admits, with a giggle. "Anyway, it *is* a really big event...They change schools *every* time, so I'm really lucky it's at ours."

She taps a finger against her chin - "What else was there...It's a two-day event, which meant that some people might be staying over - But Seien's an all-girl's school, so that means the guest dormitories..."

Mio seems to be musing over the logistics, for a moment...Before she shrugs, seemingly dismissing it. "...I'm surprised you don't already know this. Last time was at your school, after all - But that was before your time, right?"

She favours you with a quick, shy smile. "I'm...happy you'd be visiting. And - I'm looking forward to Asuna-chan's play..."

> [X] "Did you make them yourself?"

"Mmmmn~!" Her ears perk up, as if in answer. "-They were antennae at first, but...That wasn't cute at all. So..."

> [X] "Really? You must be really good with them then, given how well they seem to follow your mood."

"Haha, well..."

> [X] Touch fluffy ears.

"Ah~" Her breath catches, as you reach up - Your hand brushing lightly against her ears. They're amazingly lifelike, moving beneath your touch; The fur is startlingly soft, with only furthers the illusion of life.

"That tickles..." Mio's voice is hushed, as you stroke them - Her honey-blonde hair glossy in the light, silken beneath your fingers. She seems to relax and tense at once, breathing just a little faster, now...

-And when she's distracted, you strike. You run your hand along the fluffy softness of her tail, and the response is startling and immediate: Mio starts, in a kind of involuntary full-body ripple - A squeak teased from her lips, her eyes going wide.

"Nyaaaa - N, not *there*...It feels *really* weird~"

She squirms - One hand coming up to cover her mouth - as her heels thumps against the couch.

"That's-" she manages - "That's - *nnnn*~"

It sounds like she really *is* very sensitive there...Or ticklish. Mio's certainly not pulling away, and...

>>26748715So you're voting on giving up on Hecate for good then? I'm not at all interested in supporting attempts to create or exacerbate Anon's harem situation. The only way I'm okay with this is if you're willing to stop chasing other girls completely.

>>26748728I didn't want to romance Hecate in the first place, this is just as planned so far as I'm concerned.

Mio goes red at 'lewd', then whimpers - Or is that mewls? - as you begin to knead her tail with your thumb, the soft fur yielding beneath your touch. She shoots you a Look - One ever-so-slightly pouty, but not *displeased*.

"E-everything's fine, Rena-chan~" Mio calls out - Though the shivery note to her voice rather belays that. She has to bite her lip, to hold back a squeak; She's panting a little, now, her fingers biting into your shoulders as she holds you back and tugs at you at the *same time*-

You go over. It's a...surprisingly comfortable position, once you get everything sorted out - Mio's beneath you, her skirts rustling against her coltish legs; Her face tilted back, lips parted in a soft 'O' of surprise - Which means you have one hand *beneath* her, and...

There's a long, *long* silence. You get the feeling that there's celestial dice tumbling, just out of sight.

It's muffled, but you can distinctly hear Rena sigh; "...Well, as long as it's like that..." she says, or something along those lines - A lilt to her voice, her dress swishing as she walks away...Her footfalls muffled as she draws away from the door.

"Anon-kun~" Mio murmurs - A hushed, stage-whisper; "-You *really* are the worse~" she says, primly...Her words belied by the lilting chuckle in the back of her throat, the soft, limpid light in her eyes: Already half-closing as you lean in towards her-

>>26748728To be fair, it was never "official", it just happened due to "someone". though using that as an excuse is gonna make RJ like an ass. Still, we should keep things low for now in order to ensure some freedom.

Darkness, utter and complete, descends. It's hard to make out the sounds, but...You're fairly sure you heard a plate smashing. In a room with no windows, the dark is *absolute* and total...The almost subliminal hum of the radiator dying to nothing.

Black.

You hear Mio inhale, sharply - She almost collides with you, as she tries to sit up; You can just *barely* make out her white apron, the slight suggestion of movement as...

There's that sound again.

> Check out the cassette player.

It's odd how clumsy the dark makes you: You fumble for the cassette player in your pocket, and find it at last...The tape within is moving, or at least you think so, rotating serenely against all laws of electricity...

"R-right." Mio sounds faintly puzzled, but - From the slight tug, the shift in her stance - you can tell she's standing, as her eyes adjust to the gloom. She casts around for something - There's a tension to her, as if she's contemplating something, and then...

The room lights up.

Or perhaps 'lights up' is the wrong word - Instead, it grows *less dark* where you are. Mio's holding her hand out, palm facing up; And *something* squirms and boils in the space above.

Not a butterfly, this time. It's a simpler shape, one that your eye can't quite hold...Ghostly, shifting, the gloom only growing, becoming closer and more oppressive, beyond the immediate area.

"What are you-" Mio says, confusion in her voice; You see her brow furrow, her eyebrows go up. "...Anon-kun, is this really the time~?" she asks, playfully - But there's a growing alarm to her voice, as if she's beginning to catch on that something's not quite right...

From darkness to ruddy crimson light: The change is a startling one, made more so by how abrupt it is. There's no adjustment period, no subtle shift from one state to the other - The change comes immediately.

You stand on a street paved with ebony tile, overlapping in a perfect, intricate mosaic; If you looked, you'd notice shapes that could not possibly exist - Defying basic mathematical laws through their mere existence, yet somehow precise and perfectly flat.

Behind you - A structure of obsidian and iron rises, a house without windows or doors...Like the cyclopean, singular skyscrapers that loom overhead, clawing through the suppurating skies.

The stench of ozone lingers in the air - Air that has been *folded*, warped and twisted upon itself, opening up in new, eye-hurting configurations.

Around you - The street is crowded with vague, half-glimpsed shapes; Like coils of black smoke, vaguely lupine, ember-red eyes and flowing forms, growling and hissing and *shifting* like a mirage. It's a disorientating side, an optical illusion - Like a photo-negative, one image overlapping the other.

You blink, and the coiling black forms fade away - To the very edge of perception.

Before you, however-

Brass armour. The rattle of chains. The emerald glow of a grotesquely swollen left arm.

"...Everyone's favourite meddler," Enfer drawls, in that growling rasp of his - Nodding to you, with a slope-shouldered weariness. The brilliant slash of the scar over his left eye glowers with it's own internal light.

A tall figure, angular helm tapering to two sharp points. Sulfurous yellow light flares in a gunmetal-grey mask, segmented tail lashing against the ground; His colours are red, red and brown, oddly patchwork - Except for the raw gleam of metal dappling his form.

There's a decoupling *hiss*, as a ring expands from his right arm - Rotating slowly, hovering, ratcheting as two metal struts extend; The outer edges barbed, with the gleam that can only come from a slicing edge.

And a name:

ASURA

His head swivels, with the smooth motion of an integrated target-lock.

"Explain this," His voice is flat, filtered and vaguely accusing. Those sulfurous eyes settle on you.

>>26749425"Well a little bird told me my favorite pyromaniacal bomber was planting charges in Pandemonium and I just had to race to kill him myself.

"Really, it's like someone on your side is using me to deal with... inconveniences. First they fed me Bardiel, then the four you sent to the art museum, and then they told me how to find Alura. Makes you think, doesn't it? Out of curiosity, who stands to gain if either of you perish?"

Once the battle starts: "Oh, and Enfer, EXEC_Disrupt."

There's no better feeling than spreading chaos among your enemies. Even if they survive they're going to spread the news that someone's helping the Red Joker.

The Argus system hums, the milimeter-wave sensor sweep rippling outwards. Telltale lights, targeting information winks to life on your screen.

Enfer - Exceedingly heavy armour. Dual power sources - A high-energy reaction in his left arm, another one set in his torso plating. Some kind of explosive cache on the right arm...And a *third* fusion core beneath his spinal plating, yet to be activated.

Asura is simpler. Endosteel and myomer muscle; From his stance, his oddly-jointed limbs, your systems chatter with each other, and come to an initial diagnosis - Fast, but not well-protected.

Enfer shrugs.

"-You're like a bad penny, Joker. Turning up at the worse of times." He sounds almost amused, somehow - "...Funny thing is, I was almost beginning to miss you. It'd be a shame not to try conclusions, eh?"

As he speaks, your vision begins to light up with new telltales. It's like there's...a *part* of him scattered around the perimeter - The buildings on either side of the street featuring momentarily lighting up with false signatures and ghost images...Before fuzzing out, uncertainly, as if defying the analysis of your sensors.

> "Well, I guess I did prove you couldn't take me alone last time we fought."

He chuckles. It's a grinding sound, like an autoloader cycling.

"-Says the man with no friends at all. A little lonesome where you're standing, isn't it?"

Asura looks at him - Just *looks*.

Then back at you.

"The Red Joker," he says, at last. You're not sure if he's impressed, or simply stating the obvious.

Asura seems to consider that. The vanes of his helmet angle upwards, taking this all in...Even as Enfer merely chuckles, shaking his head with the same weary dignity.

"-A bit late for that, isn't it?" he says - "...I was never really one for jawing, though. Step aside, and you get a fre-"

> "Oh, and Enfer, EXEC_Disrupt."

You've already targeted him - It takes the merest twist of effort to channel the spike of corrupt code. Spontaneous violet lightning erupts, and Enfer flinches - He actually checks a step, nearly losing his balance as he staggers back...Barbed electricity crackling across his armour, the pulse generator in his left hand spitting sparks -

...Then going dead.

"Son of a-" he begins, sounding genuinely upset - His helm shows no expression, but there's a frustrated malevolence in his voice, now. "Asura, put some *holes* in him!"

Asura is already moving. A...*realness*...gathers at the floating halo that rings his right arm - A ring that extends outwards in concentric phantom echoes of itself -

Something streaks past you, at roughly the speed of light. You don't even *see* it - But you hear the thunderclap, feel the distortion wrench at you as (Behind you) the wall explodes. Fist-sized chunks of debris hammer into your back, your Tempest Scrander taking the impact: It happens without warning, even before Enfer finishes his sentence.

You don't fall, but it's close - The two of them are already moving, Asura's tail lashing at he *springs*; That curious weapon - His *bow* - levelled at your head with unerring accuracy - Even as Enfer wrenches himself upright, the humming whirr of his rotor-drones filling the air as they deploy.

"Wrong night to mess with me," he growls - His right arm drawing back, the first wave of flying bombs vectoring towards you as Asura takes aim...

>>26749832"Really? I think tonight's my night to get lucky!" Activate the Carnifex and the Crisis Arm to smash Asura's bow and then BREAK HIM.

Deploy two Rifle Bits to intercept the rotor drones. If they start getting overwhelmed, deploy more.

Okay I've got to go, but the best way to kill Enfer is going to be the Phase Blade. He's resistant to energy and smashing attacks, which is most of our arsenal. Make sure his system stays dead so that he can't bring his bombs to bear. If the Phase Blade is destroyed then pin him down with a Cobalt Boosted lunge and use EXEC_Consume.

The criss-crossing lines of energy fire take out the first drone. The fracticidal explosion sets out an overlapping chain of detonations, a concussive blast that hurls flint-edged sharpnel through the air; Shards clatter from your crimson armour, as you drive *right towards Asura*...

He's lined up the shot, but the Tyrant Burst is faster. The flash of light is eye-searingly light, bleaching all colour to nothing: Mid-leap, Asura flinches, momentarily blinded-

He fires anyway.

This close to him, you can actually make out the shots - Projectiles, moving so fast they're just lines of light, like laser fire...Too quick for you to track. Flightless arrows, three of them at once - The first two bracket you, slicing through your afterimages, curling contrails of nanofiber trailing in their wake.

It doesn't penetrate - Though it comes close - but the sheer force of the impact is ruinous. The torso-shot flings you down, so hard you smash into the unyielding tiles at an angle - Like a crimson meteor, trailing a crackling shroud of electricity in your wake. Your armoured boots scrape against the surface, leaving long, deep furrows with a tooth-grinding sound...

The explosion hurls you away. It picks you up, and *throws* you - Hungry chemical flame licking at your form - as the world tumbles over and over, until you slam into the far wall hard enough to leave a crater.

"I tried to warn you, Joker," Enfer crackles. The pilot light of his flamethrower - The nozzle extruding from the wrist-guard of his right arm - flickers with fitful flame, as he lumbers forward.

>>26750198Fire a bunch of missiles. Some ordinary ones to distract Enfer, additional Cobalt Boosted ones to murder Asura.Use the Vulcans while the missiles are on their way to keep Asura fixed on his position.(Basically, herd him into the killbox with the Vulcans)

You wrench yourself upright - The Triskelion Launchers at your back spinning to life, like a revolver's cylinders - and suddenly the air is filled with missiles.

You have target lock - Enfer and Asura, as no less than eight projectiles loft towards them. You split your fire - Four each, rocket thrust propelling them forward on wings of jetair and flame...

Enfer vanishes in a volcanic eruption of smoke and debris. But as your missiles speed towards Asura, his arm draws back, as he kneels in an unsteady crouch-

A scatter of half-visible darts - A *flurry* of them - zip forth. To his credit, still reeling from the one-two punch of your Plasma Vulcans, he picks off three. The last one erupts in a roiling fireball of pellucid blue flame, and you momentarily lose sight of him...

The Sinistral's energy field flares to life, linking with the charging element in your left gauntlet; Just in time, as another swirling gout of flame engulfs you. Your shield flickers, tarry napalm clinging to the surface as the firestorm breaks around you: Beyond the flickering wedge of your solid-light barrier, flames lick at your armour - Consuming more of your Assault Shroud by the moment, a half-dozen small fires smoldering on the surface...

-Even as the Graviton Cannon purrs to life in your grasp.

You back away, and wrench the trigger - There's a thunderous impact, a grinding, crushing sound as the street in Asura's vicnity...It just *flattens*, as if an invisible, impossibly dense weight is *compressing* everything beneath it - Engulfed in blue flame, Asura smashes down, cracks skittering through the tiles around him, his armoured form juddering as he tries to push himself up...

And then a magnetic charge clamps onto the Sinistral, and shorts it out in a fierce blurt of electricity. The field flickers, and dies with a squeal of staticky noise - Your sensors momentarily thrown off-kilter, reading only multiple incoming projectiles, from in front and *above* at once-

You hurl yourself to the side, and the rocket grenade misses, clean - Smoke trailing in it's wake, as it streaks past you.

The cluster munitions don't. You actually *see* the honeycombed explosive come to pieces before you - Before you're peppered by countless flechettes, a hard rain that punches shallow holes in your cuirass and helmet. Your mono-optic sensor whirrs, refocusing-

...Just as Enfer's flamethrower washes you with another belching gout of hellfire.

The Graviton Cannon will need time to recharge. EXEC_Swarm Enfer using the shroud, that should cut some of his armour integrity and make it easier to damage him without having to use boost on a weapon to get more penetration.

Next, I say equip the Carnifex and rush him with a Boosted blow from the Crisis Arm right into the armour weakened by EXEC_Swarm

Your HUD paints a bleak picture - Two of your three Inteceptors have melted to slag, the third one lancing particle beams at Asura as he staggers to feet; You hear the splintering crash of metal fragmenting, as a tachyon arrow smashes your last Rifle Bit to flinders.

"You can do better than that, Joker!" Enfer's gravel-and-ashes voice comes from somewhere behind the lancing spears of flame - The fires lick at your heels, as you mag-clamp the Graviton Cannon back in place...

-As your fist squeezes down on the stirrup grip of the Sinistral.

The crackling hard-light field *expands* - From a crackling buckler to a pane of force. As crimson flame crashes against the barrier, your shield catches light; A hellfire illumination that parts the inferno before you like the red sea.

>>26750805For a massive speed and damage boost. You realize the EXEC_Disrupt we hit Enfer with won't last forever right? And when it ends he'll be able to trigger the explosives he's layered around the field in all those buildings? We need to take his detonator arm off again really.

The world slows, and you accelerate. Your armour fragments, explosively vented in a lacerating cloud of micro-sharpnel; Behind you, a heartbeat too slow, the shaped charge in a building detonates - The directed blast hurling forth a horizontal hail of pelting shards.

You come through at an impossible velocity - Myomer fibres venting the blue flame of the Cobalt Booster; Your Assault Shroud trailing behind you like a ragged flag...

He curls in on himself. His super-heavy armour is dense enough to be utterly immune to flame, to shrug off concussive blasts and the razor-rain of sharpnel - But your punch lifts him off his feet.

A human's skull would've been liquified by the impact. A Player has integrated shock-absorbers, myomer muscules with many times the tensile strength, servoes and pistons instead of bones...

-But even then, it's a close thing.

One moment, he's there, right in front of you - Turning to meet you.

The next, he isn't.

Thirty meters down the street, a block of solid black obsidian comes to pieces, as Enfer's brass form collides violently with it. The effect's like a wrecking ball, swung into an unsuspecting building - The splintering *crash* eclipsing all other sound you've heard that day, cracks skittering across the unyielding surface. He actually rebounds from it, and slams back to the ground-

Its an energy weapon, and sinistral in boost mode gains not only damage mitigation, but deflection/reflection.

>The Sinistral's contact field can be further supercharged by the Cobalt Booster - Forming a blazing phalanx of furious light, nearly too bright to look upon. At this level, the shield can actually reflect (or rather, deflect) energy attacks that fail to overwhelm it: More, the Sinistral's phase blades can shear through both matter *and* energy now - Ripping right through force fields of lesser magnitude in an arc of pellucid blue flame.

Even with the Carnifex. Even with your sensors and reaction time spiked to overdrive, tachyon arrows travel at something approaching local lightspeed - Accelerated to powerful linear distortions.

The first arrow punches through your left torso - A hair away from the Cobalt Booster's glowing sphere. The impact wrenches you in a violent rotation; So the shot meant for your helmet sears past your shoulder, instead.

His metal death's-head leers at you, as his arm draws back...

And a hail of metal shards sweeps across him like a flaying wave, like a swarm of razor-edged locusts that whirl and slash in every direction at once. Engulfed, he's momentarily lost from view...

As wings furl overhead. As a molten shape slams down before you, canine jaws slavering with white-hot spittle. A barbed tail lashes the ground, claws gouging deep furrows in the tiles underfoot-

It's facing away from you, but you recognize that shape - The black chain of the collar, cinching around the beast's throat, extending into infinity - at once.

MEGAERA

The Corrector fixes you with one burning eye, and snarls - Before the chain wrenches that flayed skull around, bringing it to orientate on Enfer...

>>26751958Use the Crisis Arm instead. He's reeling from Megaera's entry so he can't lay down suppressing fire, and he's a speed type Player to Enfer's armor type. A hit with the Crisis Arm will probably one shot him.

>>26752003Hellebore's using it to protect Anon. Megumi/Bell Zephyr is a Smiler so Megaera was targeting her, then Megaera deflected the car that was about to hit Anon, and now it's shown up here. I'm really curious how Hellebore knows to show up...

That went better than expected. Although, it would have been smarter to simply back off after blinding them with the Booster and then Scrandering away to take up a firing position with the Tau. We're up against two top notch Players. Retreating is not cowardice if we can use the environment to our advantage.

So I was talking with Watashiwa and I commented that all the girls who like Anon/Red Joker are either crazy or we're driving them there, which made him laugh at how true it probably was. Look at Natsumi, for example:

>*sigh* Anon-kun... Huh? Kazuya confessed to me? And Anon-kun encouraged him? B-but I thought... Well, it can't be too bad, Anon and Kazuya spend more time together than Anon and I do...

>Hey, Anon is nice. oh friend-zoned... alright?

>Dating Kazuya... a-alright.

>O-oh, You have a girlfriend, Anon...K-kay, though she seems untrustworthy.

>Y-you're red joker? Hahahaha... please don't be a monster.... Oh god my best friend, who is the guy I like, is the red joker, who is like the monster in the dark...

>and he's totally fucked up in the head and I don't know how to help and I don't know what to do because I should tell my boss about some of the things I know but I can't because-'

And around this point she's going to snap sometime soon with a BSOD and go into MURDERMODE.

The next time we see chrome cypher, she'll be covered red by blood or something and be going-